Craig Kennedy – Criminologist (1952 TV Series/VCI)

 

Picture:  C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C+     Episodes: C+

 

 

Following Sherlock Holmes and being his American counterpart until S.S. Van Dine’s Philo Vance overtook him in the 1920s, Arthur B. Reeves’ Craig Kennedy debuted in 1912 and took science application to detective work the next step forward and through 26 novels to 1936 (some of which were short story collections) and some pulp novel appearances, he has become the detective that time forgot.  Now, VCI has issued half of the brief-lived 1952 TV series Craig Kennedy – Criminologist and though they are only half-hours, are not bad.  Here is an episode guide of the broadcast order, with * indicating the shows on this disc:

 

1)     Fugitive Money 3/10/1951

2)     Murder Preferred 3/10/1951 *

3)     Murder on Stage 9 3/10/1951 *

4)     The Big Shakedown 3/10/1951 *

5)     The False Claimant 3/10/1951 *

6)     The Golden Dagger 3/10/1951

7)     The Indian Giver 3/10/1951 *

8)     The Mummy's Secret 3/10/1951

9)     The Secret Will 3/10/1951

10)  The Vanisher 3/10/1951

11)  There's Money In It 3/10/1951

12)  Strange Destiny 3/10/1951 *

13)  The Case of Fleming Lewis 3/10/1951 *

14)  Late Corpse 3/10/1951 *

15)  File 1313 3/10/1952

16)  Formula For Murder 10/5/1951 *

17)  The Lonely Hearts Club 11/8/1951 *

18)  The Amateur Ghost 11/8/1951 *

19)  Dead Right 1/29/1953

20)  Tall, Dark and Dead 2/17/1953

21)  The Mystery Bullet 2/17/1953

22)  I Hate Money 3/10/1953

23)  Kid Brother 3/10/1953

24)  Murder on a Million 3/10/1953

25)  The Trap 3/10/1953

26)  Hidden Lane Road 3/10/1953 *

 

 

Any use of science is limited and these are often tales about deception with Kennedy sometimes disguising himself as others.  Donald Woods is fairly good as the title character, but the show is only distinguished by its good-looking 35mm shooting and professional execution by actors and directors alike.  This was ambitious, but just never caught on.  Inspector Barney O’Connor is replaced in the series by Inspector J.J. Burke (Sydney Mason) and Walter Jameson is played by Lewis Wilson.  It is competent and intelligent enough to check out over half a century later.  Fans of TV detectives will find it a must-see.

 

Extras include four text bios and five trailers on DVD 1, stills, Craig Kennedy serial chapter from 1936,"The Amazing Exploits Of The Clutching Hand" with Jack Mulhall (who appears in several of the TV episodes in another role, Burt Simmons) as Kennedy (Chapter One of 15), stills, text pieces Craig Kennedy - The American Sherlock Holmes & Craig Kennedy On Film and Craig Kennedy Filmography on DVD 2.

 

Some three silent Craig Kennedy serials were also made, which are hopefully not lost and should be issued in a restored anthology of some type with Arnold Daly as the detective.  So should all 15 chapters of The Amazing Exploits Of The Clutching Hand, which VCI will hopefully find a way to do.  Until then, I would like to see another volume of Craig Kennedy – Criminologist to see how the other episodes were.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo